Yea or Nay on Capsules

Pete,
Somewhere in my readings I came across an explanation as to why capsules exist.
In times gone by, wine was kept in the basement and rodent control was not as effective as it is today. So any gnawing of damage to the capsule would give evidence that the bottle may be compromised.
Further, a loose or otherwise damaged capsule might indicate that the staff had been imbibing.
In other words, they are fashion, not function.
Best, Jim
 
It all comes down to whether you have rats in the cellar. Since my wines aren’t in a Rathskeller, capsules are a non-issue. The cave crickets don’t seem to bother my wines either.

Mark Lipton
 
I concur.

Their zero impact begs the question makes one wonder, then, why anyone would go the extra step and apply wax capsules (which are loathed by wine enthusiasts far and wide).

. . . . . Pete
 
originally posted by Peter Creasey:
...begs the question makes one wonder...
Click to expand...
Bravo!

...why anyone would go the extra step and apply wax capsules (which are loathed by wine enthusiasts far and wide).
Click to expand...
Beauty.
Tradition.
A belief that corks transmit gas and that must be physically blocked.
Keep old family friend employed.
Marketing.
 
originally posted by Florida Jim:
Pete,
Somewhere in my readings I came across an explanation as to why capsules exist.
In times gone by, wine was kept in the basement and rodent control was not as effective as it is today. So any gnawing of damage to the capsule would give evidence that the bottle may be compromised.
Further, a loose or otherwise damaged capsule might indicate that the staff had been imbibing.
In other words, they are fashion, not function.
Best, Jim
Click to expand...

Jim, to be a bit pedantic because that’s what we do on WD, both of your examples are functional, just not in relation to a sealing function.
 
originally posted by MLipton:
It all comes down to whether you have rats in the cellar. Since my wines aren’t in a Rathskeller, capsules are a non-issue. The cave crickets don’t seem to bother my wines either.

Mark Lipton
Click to expand...

yeah, let's not mention the 800lb. gorilla in the cellar.
 
originally posted by Jayson Cohen:
originally posted by Florida Jim:
Pete,
Somewhere in my readings I came across an explanation as to why capsules exist.
In times gone by, wine was kept in the basement and rodent control was not as effective as it is today. So any gnawing of damage to the capsule would give evidence that the bottle may be compromised.
Further, a loose or otherwise damaged capsule might indicate that the staff had been imbibing.
In other words, they are fashion, not function.
Best, Jim
Click to expand...

Jim, to be a bit pedantic because that’s what we do on WD, both of your examples are functional, just not in relation to a sealing function.
Click to expand...
Who said anything about ceilings?
Best, Jim
 
Capsules can have a useful function in overcrowded and badly organized home cellars, or (more to the point) busy restaurants - a distinct and easily identified capsule makes grabbing the right bottle in a rack much more likely.
 
Christian, my cellar is quite well organized, but, as you say, the distinctive capsules can really be a convenience.

Not sure that is worth the vintner's cost, though.

. . . . . Pete
 
originally posted by Peter Creasey:

Jim, I can't imagine buying one wine or another based on its capsule characteristics, if any.

. . . . Pete
Click to expand...

I have run quite a few packaging tests in my career, although none where the capsule was isolated as a variable. (Even in the wine marketing world, it's often an afterthought.) However, given how some relatively small label elements sometimes have statistically significant impacts on product interest, I can easily imagine that in some cases a different capsule could do the same thing.
 
Christian, yes, that's reasonable. I was (clumsily?) referring to discerning wine enthusiasts. I would expect that knowledgeable wine folks would not let the make-up of a capsule influence their purchase (except in the case of perhaps avoiding wax closures).

. . . . Pete
 
...(except in the case of perhaps avoiding wax closures).
. . . . Pete
Click to expand...
Haha, spoken like a somm with bitter experience. I agree, for example I wouldn't knowingly pick a wine based on its capsule graphics. But don't underestimate accumulated subliminal cues. Plus a clever capsule graphic could be a tiebreaker between two wines, or predispose me to a wine if I thought it indicated an interesting, clever owner or winemaker.
 
I've been running into plastic versions of the wax capsule which, if they don't sport the romance that cork defenders claim for corks, have been much less messy, if at all.
 
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
I've been running into plastic versions of the wax capsule which, if they don't sport the romance that cork defenders claim for corks, have been much less messy, if at all.
Click to expand...

Sure, they are a lot easier to open than the hard wax, but it is somewhat clueless on the part of organic/natural producers, given the massive negative environmental impact of plastics.
 
originally posted by mark e:
originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
I've been running into plastic versions of the wax capsule which, if they don't sport the romance that cork defenders claim for corks, have been much less messy, if at all.
Click to expand...

Sure, they are a lot easier to open than the hard wax, but it is somewhat clueless on the part of organic/natural producers, given the massive negative environmental impact of plastics.
Click to expand...

Definitely negative. As is chopping down oak trees to make new barrels (too bad we can't claim negative impact for skinning oak trees alive to make romantic corks). But I continue to eat meat (sigh), so double standards apply.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top